Many retail establishments find it necessary to keep certain commercial merchandise in a locked enclosure to reduce losses due to theft. Among the types of locking devices in common usage is a display cabinet showcase lock 10, as shown in FIG. 1 configured for securing sliding glass panes in a display cabinet (not shown). The display cabinet showcase lock 10, configured here as a clip-on locking ratchet assembly, includes a locking barrel 12 configured to be selectively positioned along a toothed edge segment 18 of a flat bar 16.
The flat bar 16 also includes a clamp section 14 configured to fit onto an edge of a first glass pane. The locking barrel 12 is moved into position along the toothed edge segment 18, and then secured to the flat bar 16 by turning a key 28 inserted into the locking barrel 12. Relative movement between the two glass panes is prevented when the base of the locking barrel 12 butts up against the edge of a second glass pane, and locked in place with the key 28.
Although a conventional display cabinet showcase lock serves to reduce merchandise loss and damage, use of such locks may also prevent a customer from accessing and handling the merchandise where there is no sales associate available to help the customer. This situation could frustrate the customer, who may forego a purchase because the merchandise is not accessible for hands-on examination or for purchase, without assistance from the sales associate.
Moreover, use of conventional display cabinet showcase locks have other shortcomings. For example, a retail employee might not think to close an open display case when going to assist a customer in another area of the store, and may thus unintentionally leave the display cabinet unlocked. The retail employee may also leave the display cabinet intentionally unlocked when not certain of having access to the key 28 at a later time. Unfortunately, this often results in the unprotected merchandise being susceptible to loss from theft. And in some cases, even when the display cabinet is locked, a determined thief may force the locking barrel 12 from the flat bar 16.
There is a need for a locking device and method of monitoring secured merchandise which overcomes the above noted shortcomings of the present state of the art.